Kala Channa Pulao

Here I am, with another variation of rice - Kala Channa Pulao - a simple, healthy, tasty & wholesome one-pot meal. Actually, when I soaked kala channa the previous night, I had different ideas. But hey, who knows?! Thanks to the last minute menu changes - kala channa pulao is an absolute keeper and this tasty pulao is my recent 'claim to fame' in my friend's circle!

Basic Info
Complexity - Medium
Prep time - 12 - 15 hrs (including soaking time)
Cook time - 30 - 45 mins
Serves - 3 - 4

Ingredients
Kala Channa - 1.5 cups (uncooked)
Rice - 1 cup (I used sona masoori, Basmati rice can also be used)
Onion - 1 no (Medium sized)
Tomatoes - 3 nos (Ripe, Medium sized)
Green chilli - 1 no
Ginger - 1 inch (grated)
Garlic - 2 pods (minced)
Cilantro - 1/4 cup packed
Mint leaves - 1/4 cup packed
Bay leaf - 1 no
Cloves - 3 nos
Cardamom - 1 pod (crushed)
Cinnamon stick - 1 inch
Kasuri Methi - 1 tbsp (optional)
Coriander powder - 3/4 tsp
Turmeric powder - 1/2 tsp
Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
Tandoori masala / Garam masala - 3/4 tsp
Oil - 1/5 cup
Salt - to taste
Juice from 1/2 lime (medium sized)

Method

Soak kala channa overnight and pressure cook soaked channa for upto 5 whistles. Keep it aside.

Cook rice with 1.5 cups of water in a pressure cooker. Let it cool, fluff it up with a fork without breaking the grains and keep it aside.

Grind tomatoes, cilantro, mint into a fine paste in a mixer (add water little by little as required) and keep it aside.

Heat oil in a cooking pan. When hot, add onions, green chilli and saute until onion turns translucent. Add ginger, garlic and stir for a min. Add pureed tomato/cilantro/mint mixture and let it come to a boil. Now, add coriander powder, turmeric powder, red chilli powder, tandoori masala, salt and let it cook for about 5 mins (or) until the raw smell of the powders are gone. Add pressure cooked black channa, kasoori methi and cook until oil separates from the mixture.

Finally, add cooked rice and gently mix with the channa masala. Adjust salt if required. Let it get heated in low-medium for about 5 mins. Don 't over-mix and break the rice / mash up.

Remove from heat, add lemon juice and give it a gentle mix. A complete & nutritious meal is ready to be served and enjoyed!

Note

• In place of fresh ginger/garlic, you can also use about 1 tsp of ginger/garlic paste  
• For 1 cup of raw rice,  I used 2 cups of cooked channa masala.